Switch latch



Jan. 26, 1932. w. F. oBERHUBl-:Fz

SWITCH LATCH Filed Nov. 5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 26, 1932. w. F. OBERHUBER 1,842,562

' swITci LATCH Filed Nov. 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 26, 1932. w. F. OBERHUBR SWITCH LATCH Filed Nov. 5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet mmh www '4,

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@ef/@w Patented Jan. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM F. OBERHUBER, OF LAN SDOWNE, PENNSYLVANIA SWITCH LATCH Application filed November 5, 1925. Serial No. 66,953.

My invention relates to latches or locks for ure 3 but with the latch mechanism in posiholding electric switch knives in closed position of release. tion against the electromagnetic opening Figure 5 is a section of Figure 3 taken stresses incidental to short circuiting or other upon the line 5 5. abnormally large flow of current through the Figure 6' shows a side elevation of a single switch. throw switch having applied to it a some- A purpose of my invention is to lock a what different form of my invention.

switch knife to a post by wedge actioii. Figure 7 is a top plan View of Figure 6.

A further purpose is to provide a switch Figure 8 is a section tovan enlarged scale e knife with a wedging roller latch. taken upon line 8--8 of Figure 7. 'ce

A further purpose is to latch a switch knife Figure 9 is a view corresponding to Figsliut by wedging a roller between the head ure 8 but showing the latch mechanism in of a stationary post and the sloping wall of different position.

ahousing, and to have aswitch opening mem- Figure 10 is a section of Figure 8 taken i5 loer lift the roller from wedging position as upon the line 10-10. n5 it moves to open the switch. Figure 11 is a side elevation showing a A further purpose is to fasten a housing double throw switch having applied to it a to the outer end of a double throw knife, different form of niy invention. aperturing the housing upon opposite sides Figure 12 is a top plan view of Figure 11. 'i3 to receive locking posts, one at the side of' Figure 13 is a section to enlarged scale tak- 70 each throw, to taper' the inside walls of the en upon line 13-13 of Figure 12 showing the housing toward each aperture, to resiliently latch mechanism in closed position.

press roller carriers apart, within the hous- Figure 14 is a view corresponding to Fig- A ing and to lift one of the carrier members ure 13 but with the latch mechanism raised 55 preliminarily to opening the knife. into position of release. 75

A further purpose is to wedge the rollers of Like numerals refer to like parts in all a switch lock forwardly and inwardly for figures. locking purposes and to lift the rollers pre- Describing in illustration and not in limilimiiiarily to opening the switch. tation and referring to the drawings:

A further purpose is to lock a switch by In Figures 1 to 5 the switch knife 2O is 80 lateral gripping engagement of clamp mempivoted at 2l in the usual way upon a post hers inwardly pressed by sloping side walls 22 bolted to the base 23'and adapted to make and to lift and Spread the Clamp members contact alternatively with either one of the as a preliminary to opening the switch. Spring Contacts 24 and 25- i vIturi-m1 purposes will appear in the Spec At the outer end of the knife I mount a 85 cation and in the' Clamg housing member 26, apertured upon the op- I have elected to show three forms only of posit@ Sides at 27 md 28 t0 ljeceve the GH- my invention, selecting forms, however, that larged upper and 9 of a Statlonmy Post 30 Well illustrata the principles involved and when thrown in one direction and to receive 9G which are eflicient in operation and ineXpen- (etlllreitghe post 32 when Slve-m nmnllfacure' The walls of the housing member taper Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating one converging. toward the apertures Tqki'm, i g fol-111 0f my mveion appl-led t0 a double the position of the switch in Figures 1-5, at

thTQW SWltC-hthe left of Figures 1 and 2, rollers 33 and 34 95 Figure 2 1S a tOp plan VlGW Of Flglllf 1 within the carrier member 35 engagel the ta- Figure 3 is a section to enlarged scale taken pering walls 36 and 37 of the housing and on line 3 3 of Figure 1 showing the latch simultaneously engage opposite lower por- Y in 'latching position. tions of the enlargement 29 of the post when 'W Figure 4 is a View similar to that of Figthe roller carrier member is in latching position (Figure Similar rollers 38 and 39 within a similar roller carrier 40 are provided upon the upper side of the housing for use when the switch is thrown to the right in Figures l and 2, and the carrier members are provided with opposing lugs 41, 42 and 43, 44 and intermediate springs 45, 46 which placed upon diagonally opposite sides of the opposing carriers press these carriers outwardly into latching position. The housing member is fastened in any suitable way, as by welding, to the outer end of the switch knife.

An opening` member 47 is provided with a shank 48 which extends into the housing aXially of the knife and is loosely pivoted to the end of the knife at 49. The outer end of this opening member is shown as having a ring 50 as seen in Figure l, to cooperate with the usual operating hook upon the end of a pole. The hook lengages in the ring to release the latch and open the switch.

The carrier members 35 and 40 are provided with hook lugs 5l, 52 which respectively hook across opposite sides of the shank 53 of the opening member. The arrangement is such that when the ring member is raised to open the switch, the shank 53 engages the carrier lug 51 and raises the carrier before the ring member engages the housing to lift the knife of the switch.

Figures 6 to 10 show a somewhat different form of my invention applied to a single throw knife and in which the housing conveniently circular is shown as held to the knife by screws.

The stationary post 54 is in this form shown with circular section to fit within the circular, upwardly flared opening 55 while in the first form the section is rectangular.

The ball carrier 56 is bored at 57 to receive the enlarged end 58 of the post and is provided with a tapered or conical end 59 recessed at circumferentially spaced intervals at 60 to receive the wedging` rollers, here balls, 61. l

Three of these balls are shown in the ligure uniformly spaced around the bore of the carrier.

These recesses are made suliiciently large to permit the balls to engage the outside of the post but are too small to permit them to pass into the bore 57. This is necessary in order that they may not escape from the carrier when the knife is open.

The carrier is resiliently pressed axially into the conical aperture by means of a surrounding spring 62 compressed between a shoulder 63 on the upper end Vof the conical portion of the carrier and a cover member 64 which is bored at 65 to receive and guide the upper end of the carrier.

The carrier has a limited freedom of motion axially and is provided with a shank 66 extending upwardly through the top of the cover. A ring 67 is fastened to the shank 66 above the cover for use in releasing the lock and opening the switch.

Usually the switch is placed out of reach from the floor and is opened and closed by means of a pole, a hook upon the end of the pole engaging the ring which with opening movement first releases the wedging balls by raising the carrier and then opens the switch.

When the switch isvclosed the balls latch under the head 68 of the post and by wedging between the tapered surface of the housing and the lower portion of the head of the post prevent any sudden stresses from opening the knife.

Figures ll to 14 show a third form of my invention applied to a double throw knife. The stationary posts 69 and 70 are ringed or threaded at their heads or upper ends and these ringed or threaded ends cooperate with divided nuts 71 and 72 carried on opposite sides of a housing 73.

The housing is apertured as in the other forms to receive the stationary posts and the walls of the housing are given a wedge taper at the apertures.

The divided nuts comprise portions 74 and 75 which in latching position are wedged together at the lower end by the tapered walls of the housing` and pressed downward resiliently by a carrier 76.

y means of the carrier the individual portions of the nut are supported on the top at the sides at 77 awav from the line of division. This support is a loose one and when the carrier is raised the nut portions spread at the bottom, the lower outside edges of the portions movingupwardly and outwardly along the diverging walls of the housingr while the upper ends of the nut portions maintain con- '.l

tact at 78.

This is best seen in Figure 14 where the lower carrier is raised, spreading the divided nut portions, preparatory to opening the switch. The carrier 77 comprises telcscoping members 79 and 70. The lower member 79 is bored axially at 8l to receive a shank 82 fitting into the bore of the lower carrier.

rlhese intersliding portions of the carriers are perforated to pass rod 83 of an opening member 84, loosely connected at 85 to the inner end of the housing.

The housing is suitably cut away at 86 to let the opening member extend outwardly and the outer end of this opening` member is shown with the usual ring for pole operation of the switch.

A spiral spring 87 is compressed between the bottom of the bore 81 of the lower carrier and the lower end 88 of the upper carrier. This resiliently presses the telescoping carriers toward relative extension and normally maintains the divided nuts pressed into their respective apertures, maintaining them normally with the divided portions pressed together by wedging against the converging walls of the housing, yet free to be moved upwardly against the action of the spring.

Normally the lower carrier is provided with a downwardly directed face 89 engaging an upwardly directed face 90 of the opening member, when that member is in mideposition, and correspondingly the upper member is provided with an upwardly directed face 91 engaging a downwardly directed face 92 of the opening member when that member is in mid-position.

Vhen the ring 67 is pulled in an opening direction, the lower carrier is raised by reason of engagement between the faces 89 and 90 from the position shown in Figure 13 to that shown in Figure 14.

This releases locking engagement between the nut and the threaded or ringed post and leaves the knife free to open if the ring be moved further in an opening direction.

It will be seen that in all of the forms shown the housing fastened to the end of the knife and the stationary post are locked together by wedging the holding member between the head of the post and converging walls of the housing; that in all of the forms a carrier is provided which resiliently presses the wedging member toward locking position; that in all forms the opening member operates the carrier to move the wedging member from locking position before it operates to open the knife.

In two of the forms shown the locking by wedging engagement between the tapered walls of the housing and the end of the stationary post is one of roller wedging, the rollers simultaneously engaging the taper walls of the housing and a lower portion of an enlargement of the head of the post.

Obviously the roller may either be cylindrical or spherical and I show spherical rollers in one form and cylindrical rollers in another.

The carrier latches of double throw knives may be counterparts as shown in the first form or one telescoping within the other as shown in the second form.

In either event they are resiliently pressed apart to maintain the wedge (whether roller or divided nut), pressed resiliently to its position for locking with the post.

Where the carrier members are counter parts it is convenient to press them apart with a pair of springs which engage diagonally opposite counterpart lugs of the opposing carriers, while in the telescoping form a single spring is all that is needed.

When the knife is double throw the opening member preferably extends out axially of the knife so as to be adapted to open in precisely the same'way in either direction, while in a single throw switch the opening member may be carried upon the upper extension of the carrier member as illustrated in the second form.

Obviously in view of my invention and disclosure very considerable variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will occur to others skilled in the art and it is my wish therefore to claim all such in so far as they fall within the reasonable spiritand sco-pe of my invention.

Having thus described my invention7 what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A pivoted knife switch, a wedging roller latch having bodily movement with respect to the member by which it is carried and a cooperating member therefor, one carried by the outer part of the knife, and adapted to be tightened to prevent movement by electro. magnetic-stress-operated throw of the switch.

2. A pivoted switch knife, a wedging roller latch carried by the end of the knife adapted to hold the switch closed and tightened by electro-magneticstress-operated withdrawal movement of the knife, a cooperating member with which the roller latch engages to lock and a release therefor adapted to release the latch and subsequentlyto open the switch.

3. A double throw switch having a knife, a wedging roller latch and engaging member therefor, one of them carried by the knife and adapted to operate at each end of the throw and tightened by electro-magnetic` stress-operated withdrawal movement of the knife to retain the knife iixedly against movement and a release for the latch adapted to operate before opening movement of the knife.

4. In a switch latch, a pivoted switch knife, a fixed post, a switch latch carried by the knife and engaging the post and a wedge carried by the knife free to move bodily with respect to the knife and adapted to tighten the latch with electromagnetic-stress-operated opening movement of the knife.

5. In a switch latch, a pivoted switch knife, a fixed post, a switch latch carried by the knife and engaging the post, a wedge carried by the knife adapted to tighten the latch with electromagnetic-stress-operated opening movement of the knife, and switch opening mechanism releasing the latch preliminary to opening movement of the blade.

6. A switch knife, a housing fastened to the outer end thereof and apertured, a stationary post in registry with the aperture and received therein when the knife is closed, walls of the housing converging to the aperture, a clamp member latching the post to the housing by wedging between the taper walls and the post, a carrier adapted to position the clamping wedge and resiliently pressing the clamping wedge into latching position and a knife opener moving the carrier to release the wedge and subsequently opening the knife.

7. In aswitch latch, a switch knife, a casing secured to the end of the knife, a post having an enlarged head, adapted to be surrounded by the casing in the closed position of the switch, rollers within the casing adapted to move beneath the enlarged head, means for pressing the rollers beneath the head, walls within the casing adapted to wedge the rollers against the post with opening move- 'w ment of the switch, knife and switch-opening mechanism adapted to engage the rollers and draw them free from the head.

8. In a switch latch, a pivoted switch knife, a casing secured to the end of the knife, a 15 post having an enlarged end, spring-pressed rollable means for engaging beneath the enlarged end, a wedged side wall within the casing adapted to press the rolling means against the post and release mechanism for the roll- 20 able means pulled to open the knife.

9. In a switch latch, a pivoted switch knife, a casing secured to the end of the knife, a pair of opposite parallel rollers within the casing, a fixed post adapted to be surrounded by 5, the casing and enlarged at its end to provide recesses for the rollers, a carrier adapted to move the rollers into and out of latching posi` tion, a spring pressing the carrier to latching position, wedges within the casing adapted to tighten the rollers against the post with opening movement of the switch` knife and an opening member connected with the carrier to move the Icarrier and subsequently open the switch knife. 3;, 10. A double-throw knife, a stationary post at each end thereof, a head upon each post, a housing fastened to the end of the knife and apertured on one side to receive one of the posts and on the other side to receive the other post, opposing walls of the housing tapering toward each aperture, a pair of roller-carriers spring-pressed apart toward the respective apertures, a pair of opposing rollers in each carrier adapted to lock the housing to the x:-y respective posts by wedging against the tapering walls and opposite sides of the respective heads, and a lock-release having a pivoted shank extending axially of the knife between the carriers and adapted to move either car- Je rier into a position of latch release and then to open the switch when moved in an opening direction.

VILLIAM I". OBERI-IUBER. 

